Repairs will begin shortly to a severely damaged ferry slip at Liberty State Park after an $800,000 bid was approved by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Under the bid, awarded to Hillsborough-based Flanagan’s Contracting Group, repairs to the original docking area used by state residents and tourists bound for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will take place following damage as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

"We look forward to soon having a revitalized slip that will serve as a permanent station for the 700,000 people who use the ferry service each year from Liberty State Park to enjoy these icons of American history," DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said.

With the opening of Liberty Island this past July, the state Park Services have been using the barge south of the terminal building as a temporary platform to pickup and drop off ferry passengers.

Statue Cruises operates the ferry services from Liberty State Park and Battery Park in Manhattan.

The neighboring Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal Building was damaged in the wake of Sandy's six-foot surges. Engineers assessed the repairs for the terminal earlier in the year and bids for restoration will be due later this month, said the DEP.